‘To Encourage the Others’ – Admiral Byng’s Execution Was a Grim Warning to Royal Navy Officers: ‘Do Your Utmost!’ | militaryhistorynow.com ‘To Encourage the Others’ – Admiral Byng’s Execution Was a Grim Warning to Royal Navy Officers: ‘Do Your Utmost!’ • 1 Comment Vice Admiral John Byng failed to “do his utmost” to prevent the French from capturing the island of Minorca in 1756. As a result, he faced the humiliation of a firing squad on his very own flagship. (Image source: WikiCommons) “Byng’s death had a profound impact on the navy, as it did encourage others to fight and greatly contributed to Britain’s victory in the Seven Years’ War.” By George Yagi Jr. ON MARCH 14, 1757, Royal Navy Vice Admiral John Byng boarded his flagship HMS Monarch for what would be the last time. As the 52-year-old officer waited on the quarterdeck in the company of nine marine guards, instructions were passed to all the men-of-war at anchor nearby in Spithead to dispatch their officers to the 74-gun ship of the line to witness the spectacle that had been planned.

As the clock struck twelve, a captain by the name of John Montagu stepped forward from the small crowd that had assembled on the Monarch to inform Byng that it was time — the admiral’s execution was at hand. Byng took his place beside a green velvet cushion, which was set in the middle of an open canvas. With his own two hands, he arranged a blindfold over his eyes then knelt as six marines levelled their muskets at him. Byng clutched a red and white handkerchief, which after a moment’s pause he dropped to the ground. It was the pre-arranged signal to open fire. The marines immediately discharged their muskets at their kneeling commander. As smoke filled the quarterdeck, Byng fell to the deck dead. He would be the last admiral to be executed in the history of the Royal Navy. The “Byng Principle” Vice Admiral John Byng. (Image source: WikiCommons) Sentenced to death for failing to “do his utmost” at the disastrous Battle of Minorca , many historians have since held Byng up as a scapegoat for the Admiralty’s and British government’s own failures at prosecuting the Seven Years’ War .

Despite widespread sympathy for the disgraced Byng, including voices from the new government formed under Secretary of State William Pitt , the king refused to heed the call for clemency. On learning of the execution, the French writer, philosopher and playwright Voltaire satirically wrote that the British needed to occasionally execute an admiral from time to time, “in order to encourage the others.” Although his comments were written as a form of mockery, surprisingly, the observation was entirely accurate. Byng’s role in the Minorca fiasco led to what was darkly termed in the Royal Navy the “Byng Principle,” which meant that “nothing is to be undertaken where there is risk or danger.” This sardonic term served as a cautionary reminder to naval officers of the sort of conduct that should be avoided in battle. And just or not, Byng’s death was to instill in them an aggressive fighting spirit that would succeed in turning the war in favour of Britain. John Byng might have given chase to the French fleet at Minorca, instead he withdrew to Gibraltar and left the island to its fate. (Image source: WikiCommons) Failure at Minorca Unlike his successors, Byng was not an aggressive commander.

From the outset of his mission to assist the besieged garrison at Minorca, Byng was highly pessimistic about the success of the operation. His orders of March 30 stated, “[I]f you find any attack made upon that island by the French, you are to use all possible means in your power for its relief.” Before even arriving off Minorca, Byng was already making preparations for the defence of Gibraltar. On reaching the Rock, Byng refused to transport 700 soldiers from the garrison to reinforce Fort St. Philip , arguing that they would be a lost when the island fell. He also claimed that the besieging enemy’s cannon would make it impossible to conduct a landing. When the squadron arrived off Minorca, Byng completely failed to carry out his mission. Three ships were dispatched to communicate with the garrison. However, before an answer could even be sent by the fort’s commander, Major General William Blakeney , Byng recalled his ships. The French, under the command of Roland-Michel Barrin, comte de la Galissonière , had appeared on the horizon. The next day, Byng engaged the French in an inconclusive battle.

However, despite the disappearance of la Galissonière’s forces, the vice admiral made no attempt to communicate with the besieged garrison or the land reinforcements, nor did he attempt to intercept the merchantmen delivering supplies to the French army. Instead, he convened a council of war where he decided that Gibraltar was under greater threat, and abandoned Minorca to its fate. His conduct was so appalling that even la Galissonière remarked it had appeared Byng did not want to fight. British warships daringly sailed past the guns of the Fortress Quebec in 1759. Following the execution of Byng, few Royal Navy commanders wished to be seen hesitating or not taking risks. (Image source: WikiCommons) Lesson Learned Upon his return to Britain, Byng was court-martialed and condemned to death according to the twelfth Article of War . He had failed “to do his utmost to take or destroy the enemy’s ships.” Following the execution of Byng, a new fighting spirit appeared among the navy. No officer wanted to be accused of following the “Byng Principle” and instead chose to take aggressive action whenever facing the enemy.

In 1758, Vice Admiral Edward Boscawen took part in joint operations off Louisbourg in conditions that were so bad that it was said, “the Devil himself would not have attempted [a landing].” Yet, Boscawen did land the troops under extremely adverse circumstances, facing both the enemy and the forces of nature. On the outcome of the attack, Major General James Wolfe commented, “our landing was next to miraculous.” During the Siege of Québec in 1759 , the navy conducted itself even more aggressively. Vice Admiral Charles Saunders not only became the first to navigate a battle fleet safely up the St. Lawrence River, but also succeeded in successfully making a pass above Québec while under fire from the French batteries lining the shore. This action threatened Québec’s communication and allowed Wolfe to force the French into battle on the Plains of Abraham . The most dramatic naval feats, however, were those fought in 1759 at Lagos and Quiberon Bay . Despite extremely rough seas, Vice Admiral Edward Hawke engaged the French in the midst of a storm, with winds blowing as much as 40 knots and accompanied by heavy rains.

Conditions were so volatile that several French ships even sank as a result of the foul weather. The Thésée was lost as water rushed in through her lower gun ports, and the Superb simply rolled over in the thrashing waves. Among the crews of both ships, only twenty-two sailors survived. Reflecting on the battle, Hawke remarked, “When I consider the season of the year, the hard gales on the day of action, a flying enemy, the shortness of the day, and the coast we are on, I can boldly affirm that all that could possibly be done has been done.” Such words were an understatement to this achievement, as Hawke secured a decisive victory that ensured the threat of a French invasion of the British Isles was over. Byng’s death had a profound impact on the navy, as it did encourage others to fight and greatly contributed to Britain’s victory in the Seven Years’ War. Faced with disappointing failures during the initial stages of the conflict, daring acts were needed to reverse the misfortunes of defeat. Byng’s performance at Minorca brought British naval prestige to an all-time low. However, succeeding commanders restored it, as their efforts ensured Britain’s vast empire stretched further across the globe. Dr.

George Yagi Jr. is a historian at California’s University of the Pacific. His upcoming book explores Britain’s years of defeat during the Seven Years’ War, along with the death of Vice Admiral John Byng. Follow him on Twitter @gyagi_jr . Related stories from MHN The Execution of Admiral Byng | History Today The Execution of Admiral Byng Britain George II Maritime During the Seven Years War, Admiral Byng was charged with 'failing to do his utmost'. He was executed on board the Monarch on March 14th, 1757. A quiet, shy man, the unfortunate John Byng was no coward – he faced his death with cool courage – but he seems to have been too cautious, passive and defeatist for command in the British navy. He went to sea at 13 and rose up the ladder to captain at 23 and rear admiral at 40. Aged 50 in 1756 when the Seven Years’ War broke out, Byng, now a full admiral, sailed with ten ships of the line to Gibraltar.

His orders were to prevent the French in Toulon from capturing the British stronghold of Fort St Philip on the island of Minorca, and to this end he was to carry a detachment of 700 men from the Gibraltar garrison to Port Mahon. When Byng reached Gibraltar, however, he discovered that the French had already landed a sizeable force on Minorca and were besieging the fort. He and his council of war decided against landing more troops and he wrote to the Admiralty to explain that carrying out his orders would not stop the French and would be a needless waste of manpower. The letter, which arrived at the end of May, aroused consternation and fury in London. George II said flatly: ‘This man will not fight!’ Then came news of an inconclusive encounter in June between the British fleet under Byng and the French, from which the French had sailed away scot free, and late in June Fort St Philip surrendered. Byng was summoned home and put under arrest on arrival. Mobs went about chanting ‘Swing, swing Admiral Byng’ and the court martial, which convened at the end of December, was reported in detail in all the newspapers.

Byng was charged with ‘failing to do his utmost’. He defended himself, but the court found against him and with the utmost reluctance sentenced him to death. The government ignored the court’s unanimous recommendation to mercy and George II declined to use his prerogative to spare Byng. In a howling gale in Portsmouth harbour that March day a heavy coffin was hoisted on board the Monarch at 7am. It was already inscribed, ‘The Hon. John Byng, Esqr. Died March 14th 1757.’ The admiral himself followed and by 11am boats were bringing officers from every warship in the harbour and numerous other vessels were heaving up and down filled with eager spectators. At noon Byng came out on deck in a light grey coat, white breeches and a big white wig. He had been persuaded with difficulty to be blindfolded, on the grounds that it would not be fair to the firing party to have to see his face. He was escorted out onto the quarter deck, ‘with a stately pace and a composed countenance’ according to the Evening Post, to see nine marines in their scarlet uniforms lined up in three rows.

The rear row were in reserve. In front of him was a cushion and a heap of sawdust, sodden from the rain. He knelt on the cushion, tied the blindfold round his head and held up a neatly folded white handkerchief in his right hand. After a few agonizing moments he dropped the handkerchief, the six marines fired and the admiral fell gently on his side. He was fifty-two. The rights and wrongs of the matter have been disputed ever since, but Byng was not a political victim and Voltaire’s comment in Candide, that ‘in this country, it is good to kill an admiral from time to time, in order to encourage the others’ probably hit the nail on the head. John Byng | Turtledove | Fandom powered by Wikia Edit John Byng was hanged by the British government for dereliction of duty. Voltaire believed the reason was because the British government wanted to encourage its other admirals by example: "pour encourager les autres." Custis Cawthorne referenced this incident in the Atlantean Assembly to emphasize how important it was that the Atlanteans win the Atlantean War of Independence .

[1] Victor Radcliff referenced Cawthorne referencing the same incident, when discussing the disobedient attitudes of the Nouveau Redon quartermasters, [2] and the Marquis de La Fayette referenced the same quote in describing the penalty for soldiers who raped friendly women. [3] Literary comment It is unclear whether Byng was hanged during the global war described in " Nouveau Redon ," or an unmentioned fictional war. References 1757 – Admiral Sir John Byng is executed by firing squad – History Bytez 1757 – Admiral Sir John Byng is executed by firing squad 14 March Admiral John Byng (baptised 29 October 1704 – 14 March 1757) was a Royal Navy officer. After joining the navy at the age of thirteen, he participated at the Battle of Cape Passaro in 1718. Over the next thirty years he built up a reputation as a solid naval officer and received promotion to vice-admiral in 1747. Byng is best known for failing to relieve a besieged British garrison during the Battle of Minorca at the beginning of the Seven Years’ War.

Byng had sailed for Minorca at the head of a hastily assembled fleet of vessels, some of which were in poor condition. He fought an inconclusive engagement with a French fleet off the Minorca coast, and then elected to return to Gibraltar to repair his ships. Byng was subsequently court-martialled and found guilty of failing to “do his utmost” to prevent Minorca falling to the French. He was sentenced to death and shot by firing squad on 14 March 1757. Byng’s failure to relieve the garrison at Minorca caused public outrage among fellow officers and the country at large. Byng was brought home to be tried by court-martial for breach of the Articles of War, which had recently been revised to mandate capital punishment for officers who did not do their utmost against the enemy, either in battle or pursuit. The revision to the Articles followed an event in 1745 during the War of the Austrian Succession, when a young lieutenant named Baker Phillips was court-martialed and shot after his ship was captured by the French. His captain had done nothing to prepare the vessel for action and was killed almost immediately by a broadside.

Taking command, the inexperienced junior officer was forced to surrender the ship when she could no longer be defended. The negligent behaviour of Phillips’s captain was noted by the subsequent court martial and a recommendation for mercy was entered, but Phillips’ sentence was approved by the Lords Justices of Appeal. This sentence angered some of parliament, who felt that an officer of higher rank would likely have been spared or else given a light punishment, and that Phillips had been executed because he was a powerless junior officer and thus a useful scapegoat. The Articles of War were amended to become one law for all: the death penalty for any officer of any rank who did not do his utmost against the enemy in battle or pursuit. The court martial sitting in judgement on Byng acquitted him of personal cowardice and disaffection, and convicted him only for not having done his utmost, since he chose not to pursue the superior French fleet, deciding instead to protect his own. Once the court determined that Byng had “failed to do his utmost”, it had no discretion over punishment under the Articles of War, and therefore condemned Byng to death. However, its members recommended that the Lords of the Admiralty ask King George II to exercise his royal prerogative of mercy.

First Lord of the Admiralty Richard Grenville-Temple was granted an audience with the King to request clemency, but this was refused in an angry exchange. Four members of the board of the court martial petitioned Parliament, seeking to be relieved from their oath of secrecy to speak on Byng’s behalf. The Commons passed a measure allowing this, but the Lords rejected the proposal. Prime Minister William Pitt the Elder was aware that the Admiralty was at least partly to blame for the loss at Minorca due to the poor manning and repair of the fleet. Lord Newcastle, the politician responsible, had by now joined the Prime Minister in an uneasy political coalition and this made it difficult for Pitt to contest the court martial verdict as strongly as he would have liked. He did, however, petition the King to commute the death sentence. The appeal was refused; Pitt and King George II were political opponents, with Pitt having pressed for George to relinquish his hereditary position of Elector of Hanover as being a conflict of interest with the government’s policies in Europe.

The severity of the penalty, combined with suspicion that the Admiralty sought to protect themselves from public anger over the defeat by throwing all the blame on the admiral, led to a reaction in favour of Byng in both the Navy and the country, which had previously demanded retribution. Pitt, then Leader of the House of Commons, told the King: “the House of Commons, Sir, is inclined to mercy”, to which George responded: “You have taught me to look for the sense of my people elsewhere than in the House of Commons.” The King did not exercise his prerogative to grant clemency. Following the court martial and pronouncement of sentence, Admiral Byng had been detained aboard HMS Monarch in the Solent and, on 14 March 1757, he was taken to the quarterdeck for execution in the presence of all hands and men from other ships of the fleet in boats surrounding Monarch. The admiral knelt on a cushion and signified his readiness by dropping his handkerchief, whereupon a platoon of Royal Marines shot John Byng dead. Byng’s execution was satirized by Voltaire in his novel Candide.

In Portsmouth, Candide witnesses the execution of an officer by firing squad and is told that “in this country, it is good to kill an admiral from time to time, in order to encourage the others”. Byng was the last of his rank to be executed in this fashion and, 22 years after the event, the Articles of War were amended to allow “such other punishment as the nature and degree of the offence shall be found to deserve” as an alternative to capital punishment. In 2007, some of Byng’s descendants petitioned the government for a posthumous pardon. The Ministry of Defence refused (arseholes Ed.). Members of his family continue to seek a pardon, along with a group at Southill in Bedfordshire where the Byng family lived. Share this: The Shooting of Admiral Byng on Board the 'Monarque, 1757 Giclee Print at Art.com SAVE TO GALLERY Need help? Chat now The shooting of Admiral John Byng on board the 'Monarque', 1757.

British admiral John John Byng (1704-1757) was shot to death on board the Monarque, at Spithead, for Misbehaviour before the French Fleet in the Mediterranean. John Byng was court-martialled and executed for failing to do his utmost during the Battle of Minorca. This giclée print offers beautiful color accuracy on a high-quality paper (235 gsm) that is a great option for framing with its smooth, acid free surface. Giclée (French for “to spray”) is a printing process where millions of ink droplets are sprayed onto the paper’s surface creating natural color transitions. More about this product 24" x 16" Giclee Print 20" x 10" without border $49.99 Product Details Product Details The shooting of Admiral John Byng on board the 'Monarque', 1757. British admiral John John Byng (1704-1757) was shot to death on board the Monarque, at Spithead, for Misbehaviour before the French Fleet in the Mediterranean.

John Byng was court-martialled and executed for failing to do his utmost during the Battle of Minorca. This giclée print offers beautiful color accuracy on a high-quality paper (235 gsm) that is a great option for framing with its smooth, acid free surface. Giclée (French for “to spray”) is a printing process where millions of ink droplets are sprayed onto the paper’s surface creating natural color transitions. About the Art Battle of Minorca (1756) | Military Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Battle of Minorca (1756) For other battles for control of Minorca, see Invasion of Minorca . Battle of Minorca Part of the Seven Years' War Attack and capture of Fort St. Philip on the island of Menorca, 29 June 1756, after the naval battle.

Date Mediterranean Sea, near Minorca, present-day Spain Result French strategic victory [1] [2] Belligerents John Byng Strength 12 ships of the line 5 frigates 12 ships of the line 7 frigates Casualties and losses 38 killed 184 wounded Half the fleet damaged 45 killed Belle Île The Battle of Minorca (20 May 1756) was a naval battle between French and British fleets. It was the opening sea battle of the Seven Years' War in the European theatre. Shortly after the war began British and French squadrons met off the Mediterranean island of Minorca. The French won the battle. The subsequent decision by the British to withdraw to Gibraltar handed France a strategic victory and led directly to the Fall of Minorca . The British failure to save Minorca led to the controversial court-martial and execution of the British commander, Admiral John Byng , for "failure to do his utmost" to relieve the siege of the British garrison on Minorca. Contents Further information: Great Britain in the Seven Years War The departure of the French squadron on 10 April 1756 for the attack against Port Mahon.

(Nicolas Ozanne, (1728 - 1811) The French had been menacing the British-held garrison on Minorca, which had come under British control during the War of the Spanish Succession in 1708. Great Britain and France had commenced hostilities in the New World colonies earlier in 1754 (the French and Indian War ), and at this point the conflict was not going well for Great Britain. The government was anxious to protect her presence closer to home, and was concerned that the French might even be planning to invade Great Britain themselves (as France had attempted in previous wars by supporting the Stuart claimants to the throne during the Jacobite Wars). The long-expected French move on Minorca finally caused the British government to act, albeit too belatedly, and a squadron of 10 ships of the line was dispatched from Gibraltar to its defence, under the command of John Byng (then a Vice-Admiral, but quickly promoted to Admiral for the purpose). Despite having considerable intelligence of the strength of the French fleet at Toulon that was designated for the invasion of Minorca, the ships allocated to Byng were all in a poor state of repair and undermanned.

Prelude Edit When Byng and his fleet, reinforced by ships of the Minorca squadron that had escaped the island, arrived off Minorca on May 19, they found the island already overrun by French troops, with only the garrison of Fort St. Philip (Port Mahon) holding out. Byng's orders were to relieve the garrison, but a French squadron of 12 ships of the line and 5 frigates intervened as the afternoon was wearing on. The two fleets positioned themselves, and battle was drawn up on the morning of the following day. Battle Edit English and French fleets Facing 12 French ships of the line, Byng formed his 12 largest ships into a single line of battle and approached the head of the French line on a parallel course while maintaining the weather gage . He then ordered his ships to go about and come alongside their opposite numbers in the French fleet. However, the poor signalling capability of the times caused confusion and delay in closing. The British van took a considerable pounding from their more heavily armed French adversaries, while the rear of the line, including Byng's flagship, failed to come within effective cannon range.

During the battle Byng displayed considerable caution and an over-reliance on standard fighting procedures, and several of his ships were seriously damaged, while no ships were lost by the French. Following a Council of War, at which all the senior officers present concurred, it was agreed the fleet stood no chance of further damaging the French ships or of relieving the garrison. Byng therefore gave orders to return to Gibraltar . Aftermath The English Lion dismembered after capturing the island of Minorca by the French. The Shooting of Admiral Byng, by unknown artist. The battle could hardly be considered anything other than a French victory in the light of Byng failing to press on to relieve the garrison or pursue the French fleet which inaction resulted in severe criticism. The Admiralty, perhaps concerned to divert attention from its own lack of preparation for the disastrous venture, charged Byng for breaching the Articles of War by failing to do all he could to fulfill his orders and support the garrison. Byng was court-martialled , found guilty and sentenced to death. Byng was executed on 14 March 1757 aboard HMS Monarch in Portsmouth harbour.

Byng's execution is referred to in Voltaire's novel Candide with the line Dans ce pays-ci, il est bon de tuer de temps en temps un amiral pour encourager les autres – "In this country, it is wise to kill an admiral from time to time to encourage the others." [3] Despite William Pitt 's eagerness to regain the island, a British expedition was not sent to recapture it for the remainder of the war. It was eventually returned to Britain following the Treaty of Paris , in exchange for the French West Indies and Belle-Île . Order of battle In order of their place in the line of battle: British fleet John Byng (1704 - 1757) - Genealogy John Byng George Byng, Margaret Byng (o.s.

Master) Siblings: Mar 14 1757 - HMS Monarch, Portsmouth, England Parents: George Byng, Margaret Byng, 1st Viscount Torrington (born Master) Siblings: Oct 29 1704 - Southill, Bedfordshire Death: Cause of death: Firearm, Execution by firing squad - Mar 14 1757 - England Parents: George Byng, 1st Viscount Torrington, Margaret Master Siblings: Oct 28 1704 - Southill, Bedfordshire, England Death: Mar 14 1757 - Bedfordshire, England Parents: George Byng, Margaret Byng (born Master) Siblings: ... John Byng, Lucy Byng, Pattee Byng, Matthew Turner Byng, George Byng, John Byng, Robert Byng, Edward Byng, Charles Byng, Osburne Byng, Un...

Oct 28 1704 - Southill, Bedfordshire, England Death: Mar 14 1757 - HMS Monarch, Portsmouth, England Parents: George Byng, Margaret Byng, Viscountess Of Torrington (born Master) Siblings: Oct 28 1704 - Southill, Bedfordshire, England Death: Mar 14 1757 - HMS Monarch, Portsmouth, England Parents: George Byng, Margaret Byng, 1st Viscount Torrington (born Master) Siblings: Mar 14 1757 - HMS Monarch, Portsmouth, England Parents: george byng, margaret byng (born master) Siblings: Mar 14 1757 - HMS Monarch, Portsmouth, Englandb Parents: George Byng ( Lord Torrington), Margaret Master Lady Torrington) Siblings: Mar 14 1757 - HMS Monarch, The Solent, England Parents: George Byng, Margaret Master (Byng) Siblings: Admiral of the Fleet George Byng 1st Viscount Torrington Siblings: Pattee "2nd Viscount of Tor

rington" Byng, Col Hon Edward (Ned) Byng, George "3rd Viscount of Torrington" Byng, George Bing, Pate Bing Sep 8 1704 - Londres, London, England Death: Admiral John Byng (baptised 29 October 1704 – 14 March 1757) was a Royal Navy officer.

After joining the navy at the age of thirteen, he participated at the Battle of Cape Passaro in 1718. Over the next thirty years he built up a reputation as a solid naval officer and received promotion to Vice-Admiral in 1747. Byng is best known for the loss of Minorca in 1756 at the beginning of the Seven Years' War. In practice, his ships badly needed repair and he was relieved of his command before he could see to his ships or secure the extra forces he required. He was court-martialled and found guilty of failing to "do his utmost" to prevent Minorca falling to the French following the Battle of Minorca. He was sentenced to death and shot by firing squad on 14 March 1757. Early life and career John Byng was born in Bedfordshire, England, the fourth son of Rear-Admiral Sir George Byng (later Admiral the 1st Viscount Torrington).

By the time he entered the Royal Navy in March 1718, aged 13, his father was a well-established admiral at the peak of a uniformly successful career, who since supporting King William III in his successful bid to be crowned King of England in 1689 had seen his stature and fortune grow. A highly skilled naval commander, Sir George Byng won distinction in a series of battles and was held in esteem by the monarchs he served. In 1721, he was rewarded by King George I with a viscountcy, being created Viscount Torrington. Like most younger sons of British nobility, John Byng would have to support himself, since his father's title and estates would ordinarily pass on only to the eldest. However, with such an illustrious father, Byng's rapid promotions through the ranks most likely owed much to his father's influence. The careers of father and son could hardly have ended more differently. Early in his career, Byng was assigned to a series of Mediterranean postings. In 1723, at age 19, he was made a Lieutenant, and at 23, rose to become Captain of HMS Gibraltar.

His Mediterranean service continued until 1739 and was without much action. In 1742, he was appointed Commodore-Governor of the British colony of Newfoundland. He was promoted to Rear-Admiral in 1745, and to Vice-Admiral in 1747. He served on the most comfortable stations, and avoided the more arduous work of the navy. He was Member of Parliament for Rochester from 1751 until his death. In 1754, Byng commissioned the building of the Palladian mansion Wrotham Park in Hertfordshire, which remains in the family to this day. It is doubtful he ever lived there. Battle of Minorca Main articles: Battle of Minorca and Fall of Minorca On the approach of the Seven Years' War, the island of Minorca, which had been a British possession since 1708, when it was captured during the War of the Spanish Succession, was threatened by a French naval attack from Toulon, and was invaded in 1756.

Byng, then serving in the Channel, was ordered to the Mediterranean to relieve the British garrison of Fort St Philip, at Port Mahon. Despite his protests, he was not given enough money or time to prepare the expedition properly. His sailing orders were inexplicably delayed by five days, and this turned out to be crucial to the lack of success of the expedition. He set out with ten unseaworthy ships that leaked and were inadequately manned. Byng's marines were landed to make room for the soldiers who were to reinforce the garrison, and he feared that if he met a French squadron, he would be dangerously undermanned. His correspondence shows that he left prepared for failure, that he did not believe that the garrison could hold out against the French force, and that he was already resolved to come back from Minorca if he found that the task presented any great difficulty. He wrote home to that effect to the Admiralty from Gibraltar, whose governor refused to provide soldiers to increase the relief force. Byng sailed on 8 May 1756. Before he arrived, the French landed 15,000 troops on the western shore of Minorca, spreading out to occupy the island.

On 19 May, Byng was off the east coast of Minorca and endeavoured to open communications with the fort. Before he could land any soldiers, the French squadron appeared. The Battle of Minorca was fought on the following day. Byng, who had gained the weather gage, bore down on the French fleet at an angle, so that his leading ships went into action while the rest, including Byng's flagship, were still out of effective firing range.[4] The French badly damaged the leading ships and slipped away. When his flag captain pointed out to Byng that by standing out of his line, he could bring the centre of the enemy to closer action, he declined because Thomas Mathews had been dismissed for so doing. The French, who were equal in number to the British, sailed away undamaged. After remaining near Minorca for four days without being able to reestablish communication with the fort or sighting the French, Byng realised that there was little more he could do without effecting badly needed repairs to his ships.

As the nearest port available for carrying out repairs and landing his wounded men was Gibraltar, Byng's plan was to sail there, repair his ships, and try once again to get extra forces before returning to Fort St Philip. He accomplished this, and after the reinforcements arrived Byng began preparation for a return to Minorca to relieve the garrison. However, before his fleet could sail, another ship arrived from England with further instructions, relieving Byng of his command and took him back to England, where he was placed into custody. Ironically, Byng was finally promoted to full Admiral on 1 June, following the action off Minorca. The garrison on Minorca held out against the overwhelming French numbers until 29 June, when it was forced to capitulate. Under negotiated terms the garrison was allowed passage back to England, and the fort and island came under French control. Court-martial The failure to hold Fort St Philip initially caused public outrage among fellow officers and the country at large. Byng was brought home to be tried by court-martial for breach of the Articles of War, which had recently been revised to mandate capital punishment for officers who did not do their utmost against the enemy, either in battle or pursuit.

In 1745, during the War of Austrian Succession, a young lieutenant named Baker Phillips was court-martialed and shot after his ship was captured by the French. His captain, who had done nothing to prepare the vessel for action, was killed almost immediately by a broadside. Taking command, the inexperienced junior officer was forced to surrender the ship when she could no longer be defended. Although the negligent behaviour of Phillips's captain was noted by the subsequent court martial and a recommendation for mercy entered, his sentence was approved by the Lords Justices of Appeal. This injustice angered the nation and the Articles of War were amended to become one law for all: the death penalty for any officer who did not do his utmost against the enemy in battle or pursuit. The court martial sitting in judgement on Byng acquitted him of personal cowardice and disaffection, and convicted him only for not having done his utmost, since he chose not to pursue the superior French fleet, instead deciding to protect his own. The court martial had no discretion under the Articles of War and condemned Byng to death. However, its members recommended that the Lords of the Admiralty ask King George II to exercise his royal prerogative of mercy.

Clemency denied and execution The new First Lord of the Admiralty, Lord Temple, was granted an audience with the king to request clemency, but this was refused in an angry exchange. Four members of the board of the court martial petitioned Parliament, seeking to be relieved from their oath of secrecy in order to speak on Byng's behalf. The Commons passed a measure allowing this, but the Lords rejected the proposal. The Prime Minister, William Pitt the Elder, was aware that the Admiralty was at least partly to blame for the loss at Minorca due to the poor manning and repair of the fleet. Lord Newcastle, the politician responsible, had by now joined the Prime Minister in an uneasy political coalition and this made it difficult for Pitt to contest the court martial verdict as strongly as he would have liked. He did, however, petition the king to commute the death sentence. The appeal was refused: Pitt and King George II were political opponents, with Pitt having pressed for George to relinquish his hereditary position of Elector of Hanover as being a conflict of interest with the government's policies in Europe.

The severity of the penalty, combined with suspicion that the Admiralty sought to protect themselves from public anger over the defeat by throwing all the blame on the admiral, led to a reaction in favour of Byng in both the Navy and the country, which had previously demanded retribution. Pitt, then Leader of the House of Commons, told the king: "the House of Commons, Sir, is inclined to mercy", to which George responded: "You have taught me to look for the sense of my people elsewhere than in the House of Commons." The king did not exercise his prerogative. Following the court martial and pronouncement of sentence, Admiral Byng had been detained aboard HMS Monarch in the Solent, and on 14 March 1757, he was taken to the quarterdeck for execution. In the presence of all hands and men from other ships of the fleet in boats surrounding Monarch, the admiral knelt on a cushion and signified his readiness by dropping his handkerchief, whereupon a platoon of marines shot John Byng dead. Legacy Byng's execution was satirized by Voltaire in his novel Candide.

In Portsmouth, Candide witnesses the execution of an officer by firing squad; and is told that "in this country, it is good to kill an admiral from time to time, in order to encourage the others" (Dans ce pays-ci, il est bon de tuer de temps en temps un amiral pour encourager les autres). Byng was the last of his rank to be executed in this fashion, and 22 years after the event the Articles of War were amended to allow "such other punishment as the nature and degree of the offence shall be found to deserve" as an alternative to capital punishment. In 2007, some of Byng's descendants petitioned the government for a posthumous pardon; the Ministry of Defence refused. Members of his family and a group at Southill in Bedfordshire where the Byng family lived continue to seek a pardon. Byng's execution has been called "the worst legalistic crime in the nation's annals". Nevertheless, it may have influenced the behaviour of later naval officers by helping inculcate "a culture of aggressive determination which set British officers apart from their foreign contemporaries, and which in time gave them a steadily mounting psychological ascendancy".

This in turn may have contributed to the success of the Royal Navy and the acquisition and defence of the British Empire, as commanders knew that while there was a chance of failure in battle, not to risk battle was certain to result in punishment. In the words of one historian of the Royal Navy, this "judicial murder" had brutally demonstrated that more was expected of naval officers than just courage and loyalty. Such policy considerations were no comfort to the family of their victim. Admiral Byng's epitaph at the family vault in All Saints Church, in Southill, Bedfordshire, expresses their view and the view of much of the country: To the perpetual Disgrace The Honble. JOHN BYNG Esqr Admiral of the Blue You have failed me for the last time, admiral - Historum - History Forums You have failed me for the last time, admiral User Name Need help with the website? Contact Us anytime.

War and Military History War and Military History Forum - Warfare, Tactics, and Military Technology over the centuries Page 1 of 3 Posts: 27,183 You have failed me for the last time, admiral Famous words uttered by one of the most famous supervillains of all time, signalling the unfortunate Admiral Ozzal being relieved of his command in that way particular to Lord Vader. But real life examples of this exist as well. IIRC, the Athenians executed generals who had lost battles. According to the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Shu general Ma Su was executed by Zhuge Liang for losing a battle after ignoring good advice. Admiral John Byng was shot by firing squad for "failing to do his utmost" in preventing Minorca from falling into French hands. By the end of the war, Hitler was ordering officers shot left, right and centre for retreating from their positions (although that may be an exaggeration - I can only think of one instance of it off the top of my head, General Helmuth Weidling, and his execution was called off after the misunderstanding was cleared up). Can you think of any historical examples of military leaders being executed by their own side for losing battles?

Note - I don't include military leaders executed (or ordered to commit suicide) for any other reason in this, including paranoia on the part of their supreme commander, such as the post July 20th executions by the Nazis and Stalin's purge of his officer corps in the 30s. Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 8,576 I do not know of specific instances, but in the early years of the French revolutionary period, generals who lost battles against the forces that tried to defeat the revolution made the acquaintance of Madame la Guillotine. From: T'Republic of Yorkshire Posts: 27,183 I've been trying to think of any examples in Japanese history, but at the moment, I can't think of any. I can certainly think of a few where the defeated general took their own life in shame, and many, many examples of vassals being executed or ordered to commit suicide, but right at this moment in time, I can't for the life of me think of any that were the direct result of a loss in battle, at least not of major historical figures.

From: Hyperborea Posts: 7,923 During the English Civil War several commanders of garrisons were hanged for surrendering to besiegers too easily. Also Carthage had a policy of crucifying losing commanders, several admirals and general were crucified on their return to Carthage during the first punic war including Hanno and Hannibal (not Barca). ï¿½ Blog of the Year ï¿½ Blog Entries: 182 Carthage had a habit of crucifying disgraced generals. I forget his name, but wasn't there a British admiral who was executed via firing squad on a ship, for failure in battle? Originally Posted by Salah Carthage had a habit of crucifying disgraced generals. I forget his name, but wasn't there a British admiral who was executed via firing squad on a ship, for failure in battle? John Byng - I mentioned him in the OP. ï¿½ Blog of the Year ï¿½ John Byng - I mentioned him in the OP. That's what I get for speed-reading Originally Posted by Naomasa298 John Byng - I mentioned him in the OP.

He's the first one I thought of but he's in the OP. Fascinating story anyway, his descendants are still lobbying (unsuccessfully) for a pardon. From: Valles Marineris, Mars Posts: 4,833 In the German invasion of Russia (in ww2) Stalin had many deserters killed and inept army commanders killed, I think. Quote: Originally Posted by Naomasa298 I've been trying to think of any examples in Japanese history, but at the moment, I can't think of any. I can certainly think of a few where the defeated general took their own life in shame, and many, many examples of vassals being executed or ordered to commit suicide, but right at this moment in time, I can't for the life of me think of any that were the direct result of a loss in battle, at least not of major historical figures. I tried thinking about Japanese examples too, but at the moment I only remember suicides a la Yamamoto Kansuke. Maybe Francesco Bussone, Count of Carmagnola and condottiero(1380s-1432), could be a good example.

Blamed by the Republic of Venice for his slow conduct of the war(that costed the Venetian senate a lot of money) and the good treatment of Milanese prisoners(most of them were set free without even asking for a ransom) after the successful battle of Maclodio of 1427 against the Duke of Milan, he "failed" during the military campaign of the following year(he didn't manage to capture Cremona and stop the Imperial attacks in Friuli ), causing the Venetian institutions to lose faith in him( his personal correspondence with the Duke of Milan didn't help his cause). in 1432 he was summoned in Venice only to be imprisoned and condemned to death for treason( of course he confessed after a long and painful torture ). On May 5 he was publicly beheaded

Question: Which admiral was executed in 1759, for "failing to do his utmost", during the Battle of Minorca?
Answer: ADMIRAL JOHN BYNG